Date of last update: 06/08/2021 2021-08-06
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector in developing countries.
We utilize and leverage our products and servicesas well as products and services of other institutions in the World Bank Groupto provide development solutions customized to meet clients' needs. We apply our financial resources, technical expertise, global experience, and innovative thinking to help our partners overcome financial, operational, and political challenges.
Clients view IFC as a provider and mobilizer of scarce capital, knowledge, and long-term partnerships that can help address critical constraints in areas such as finance, infrastructure, employee skills, and the regulatory environment.
IFC is also a leading mobilizer of third-party resources for its projects. Our willingness to engage in difficult environments and our leadership in crowding-in private finance enable us to extend our footprint and have a development impact well beyond our direct resources.
For more information, visit www.ifc.org
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Description
Do you want to build a career that is truly worthwhile? Working at the World Bank Group provides a unique opportunity for you to help our clients solve their greatest development challenges. The World Bank Group is one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries; a unique global partnership of five institutions dedicated to ending extreme poverty, increasing shared prosperity and promoting sustainable development. With 189 member countries and more than 120 offices worldwide, we work with public and private sector partners, investing in groundbreaking projects and using data, research, and technology to develop solutions to the most urgent global challenges. For more information, visit www.worldbank.org
Established in 1944, the World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works. Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data.
Innovation and partnership bond the five institutions of the World Bank Group (WBG): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries.
The World Bank Group (WBG)'s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity reflect a new global landscape: one in which developing countries have an unprecedented opportunity to end extreme poverty within a generation.
LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN REGION
The World Bank Group serves 30 client countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LCR). Clients range from large rapidly growing sophisticated middle-income clients to IDA countries, to small Caribbean states, and to one fragile state. Despite immense resources, dynamic societies, and an average annual per capita income of about US$4,000, deep inequalities persist in most LCR countries, with nearly a quarter of the Region's people living in poverty. The region is extremely exposed and vulnerable to many natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods that can ravage entire regions, and hurricanes that devastate Caribbean states. It is also among the most vulnerable due to high population density in the areas where these disasters strike and the need for better risk management practices.
The World Bank's work in the region has three pillars. The first is to increase productivity by supporting improvements in accountability, competitiveness, and transparency. The second is to engage with traditionally excluded groups, among them Afro-descendants, indigenous peoples, and rural communities, while the third is to attract private investment. The second pillar emphasizes investing in human capital to prepare people for the challenges and opportunities that come with the changing nature of work and strengthening healthcare systems in the current pandemic crisis. Digital solutions and data can improve COVID-19 testing and prevention, and, consequently, recovery from the crisis. The third seeks to build resilience and promote green growth so that countries can better manage and withstand shocks, such as crime and violence, economic upheaval, infectious diseases, and natural disasters.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank is taking a more agile approach to helping Latin American and Caribbean countries reduce the impact of the outbreak. In addition to new funds, other resources have been disbursed by reorientating them from existing projects. These efforts are part of the Bank's global response to the pandemic, which in its first stage will total $14 billion in the region.
THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRACTICE GROUP
The Sustainable Development (SD) Practice Group (PG) helps countries tackle their most complex challenges in the areas of Agriculture and Food, Climate Change, Environment, Natural Resources & Blue Economy, Environmental and Social Framework, Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience & Land, Social Sustainability and Inclusion, and Water.
ENVIRONMENT NATURAL RESOURCES & BLUE ECONOMY GLOBAL PRACTICE
The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is vital for economic growth and human wellbeing. When managed well, renewable natural resources, watersheds, productive landscapes, and seascapes can provide the foundation for sustained inclusive growth, food security and poverty reduction. For more information: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment
Sustainable environment and natural resources (ENB) management, including support to the blue economy, is at the heart of the World Bank Group (WBG) poverty agenda. Natural resources and biodiversity often constitute the social safety net of the poor, representing a food bank and often their only source of livelihood. The world Bank promotes green, clean, and resilient development where natural resources–from forests to fisheries, freshwater, oceans, coastal zones, and ecosystems–are managed to support livelihoods, strong economies, and a world better prepared for shocks and global challenges. The ENB GP has been established to deliver on the opportunities, benefits and outcomes offered by enhanced management of the environment and natural resources.
One specific ENB GP responsibility is to support effective environmental risk management, and to ensure good environmental management across the Bank's work in part through the implementation of the Bank's environmental policies and its Environmental and Social Framework (ESF).On August 4, 2016, the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved a new Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) to help protect people and the environment in the investment projects it finances. This effort is one of several key initiatives, including procurement reform, and the climate and gender strategies, recently undertaken by the Bank to improve development outcomes.
The ESF responds to new and varied development demands and challenges that have arisen over time. It brings the World Bank's environmental and social (E&S) protections into closer harmony with those of other development institutions, and makes important advances in areas such as transparency, non-discrimination, social inclusion, public participation, and accountability – including expanded roles for grievance redress mechanisms. The framework helps to ensure social inclusion, and explicitly references human rights in the overarching vision statement.
The ESF is made up of the World Bank's vision for sustainable development, the World Bank's Environmental and Social Policy for Investment Project Financing, and ten Environmental and Social Standards (ESS). These set out the mandatory requirements for the World Bank, in relation to the projects it supports through Investment Project Financing (IPF), and for Borrowers.
UNIT
The Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Unit for Latin America and Caribbean Region includes staff working on environmental safeguards/environmental risk management. The skills of these staff include leading analytical work and policy dialogue, economics, and supporting lending operations in a range of areas including pollution and waste management, air quality improvement, integrated coastal zone management, forestry, fisheries management, landscapes management, watershed management, Occupational and Community Health and Safety, and natural areas protection.
THE POSITION
This position will be based in Washington DC and will be primarily responsible to support environmental management through environmental safeguards and the Environment and Social Framework work in the Caribbean countries. The Environmental Specialist will work under supervision of the ENB Practice Manager for LCR, in close coordination with the Unit's Environmental Focal Points for Caribbean Countries. While the primary responsibility of this position is on environmental risk management, there will be some demand for support to the management of World Bank financed projects and analytical works in the area of environment, natural resources and blue economy.
DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
* As the bank assigned Environmental Specialist, contribute in the preparation of the operations during project identification, preparation and appraisal stages, and ensuring that environmental issues are addressed early in the process by undertaking careful environmental analysis related to Bank environmental safeguard policy and/or ESF issues and associated information disclosure and public consultations/stakeholder engagement.
* Advise Task Teams on the interpretation and application of the ESF.
* Supervising Bank approved projects under implementation in terms of project specific EHS requirements and performance (i.e., project implementation stage).
* Providing advice to client and counterpart organizations and project teams with regard to the preparation of environmental, social, health and safety assessments, frameworks, and mitigation/management plans, stakeholder engagement plans and strategies, and grievance management systems, as required by specific projects in accordance with safeguard policies and/or the ESF, and in coordination with the assigned social specialist.
* Providing guidance and capacity support to borrowers in the preparation of relevant project cycle documentation, including by assisting borrowers in drafting TORs for the preparation of environmental safeguard and ESF assessment, planning and management instruments, guiding the client in completing the assessment and planning process, and supervising their implementation, including review of monitoring reports and follow-up.
* Providing timely input, as applicable, to Bank project documents related to environmental aspects, including Integrated Safeguard Data Sheets and/or Environmental and Social Review Summaries, and EHS sections of project documents such as Project Concept Notes, Project Information Documents, Project Appraisal Documents, Aide Memoires, and Implementation Status Reports.
* Completing documentation requirements in the Bank's risk management databases including the Tracking Environmental and Social Performance (TESPSG) system (for projects falling under safeguards) and the ESMS system (for projects falling under the ESF).
* Identifying opportunities to integrate sound environmental management and policies in investment operations to promote environmental sustainability, positive environmental impacts (benefits) and enhance local capacities for implementing sound environmental management practices.
* Performing other activities related to the Projects such as provide technical input/guidance on specific issues, provide guidance or training to the borrower related to environmental management, or assist in the environmental aspects of project restructuring or additional financing.
* Capacity building support to PIU specialists, including support for training activities related to ESF Standards and auxiliary capacity support, as needed.
* Support the ENB Practice Manager and Caribbean Focal Points in reviewing other projects instruments, portfolio management and preparing communications to be conveyed to the Caribbean Country Management Unit.
* Support the dialogue with the Caribbean Country Management Unit to ensure engagement on environmental issues in strategic discussions and country documents.
* Work with clients to build their capacity on issues related to social development and safeguards.
* Support other Environmental Specialists and Consultants in handling complex technical, institutional and program implementation issues regarding environment, occupational health and safety, biodiversity, and pollution management.
* Engage in policy dialogue with clients on environmental risk, and environmental sustainability issues, ranging from upstream inputs into Systematic Country Diagnostics and Country Partnership Frameworks, to advising counterparts on related policies or on risks and opportunities in relation to Bank-supported operations.
* Serve as a mentor to the younger staff and consultants working in the Unit.
Selection Criteria
* Advanced degree (PhD or Masters) – degree in environmental engineering, civil engineering, ecology or environment related sciences is required.
* A minimum of 5 years of full-time relevant professional experience in the environmental sector with demonstrated ability in environmental safeguards and/or environmental risk management.
* Proven track record in designing and implementing environmental safeguards or environmental risk management (including Occupational Health and Safety); and monitoring environmental safeguards compliance, for international financial institutions, engineering companies or extractive industries is required.
* Knowledge and experience in environmental assessment and management of environmental compliance in investment projects in environmentally sensitive areas is required.
* Excellent oral and written fluency in English.
* Strong operational and analytical skills and demonstrated ability to translate analytical work into policy advice and practical recommendations.
* Ability to present complex issues related to environmental sustainability to Task Teams and other Bank audiences, and to engage effectively with government counterparts, project beneficiaries and civil society.
* Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills and demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams.
* Experience working in different developing countries.
* Willingness to travel extensively in the region and possibly globally is vital, including to remote rural areas.
* The following would be an advantage but not required: Sound knowledge of World Bank's safeguards policies, the ESF, ESSs and/or IFC Performance Standards/MIGA Environmental and Social policies or similar standards as well as its stakeholders, especially the challenges and opportunities for borrowing countries would be an advantage.
* Work experience in Caribbean Countries.
TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES
* Knowledge and Experience in Development Arena- Translate technical and cross-country knowledge into practical applications and contributions to country and sector strategies; interacts with clients at the policy level.
* Policy Dialogue Skills- Anticipate needs and requests in the field and conduct independent policy discussions with representatives of the government and non-government partners.
* Integrative Skills -Understand relevant cross-sectoral areas how they are interrelated; able to undertake cross-sectoral work in lending and non-lending operations.
* Environmental Sector Issues- Demonstrates strong knowledge of at least one relevant thematic business line, namely "blue", "brown", "green", climate change, and environmental risk management.
* Environmental Policy, Strategy and Institutions - Translates technical analyses into policies, operations and/or research as they relate to any of the following thematic business lines: "blue", "brown", "green", climate change, and environmental risk management.
* Sector/Network Representation- Demonstrates ability to coordinate, participate in, and act as a catalyst for, strategic cross-sector dialogues within the network, across the country, among Bank colleagues and other development institutions, government, and other organizations.
* Project Design for Impact and Sustainability- Contributes to the design of projects and programs, based on an understanding of the country and sector context and requirement of environmental risk management.
WBG COMPETENCIES
* Lead and Innovate - Develops innovative solutions.
* Deliver Results for Clients - Proactively addresses clients' stated and unstated needs.
* Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Collaborates across boundaries, gives own perspective, and willingly receives diverse perspectives.
* Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Applies knowledge across WBG to strengthen solutions for internal and/or external clients.
* Make Smart Decisions - Interprets a wide range of information and pushes to move forward.
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Macro-area: Multiple
Level of experience: Senior Professional, more than 5 years
Area of work Definition: Environment, Disaster Risk Management DRM, Energy and Resource Efficiency
Type of organisation: Multilateral Organisations